Hand grenade



Sept, 2, 1924.A

F. JAN El-:K

HAND- GRENADE lFiled .July x 2 sheets-sheet' 2 'www Patented Sept. 2, 1924,

PATENT FBANTIEK JANEEK, OF PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

HAND GRENADE.

Application led July 1, 1921.

Serial No. 481,944.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS F THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 131.3.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANTIEK JANEEK, a citizen of the Czechoslovak Republic, residing at Prague, Czechoslovakia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-Iand Grenades (for which I have tiled application in Czechoslovakia, June 26, 1920), of which the following is a specication. l l0 My invention relates to a hand-grenade which irrespective of the wa)7 in which it comes in contact with the object aimed at and irrespective of the condition of this object, is exploded merely by the action of l5 a spring which remains ina compressed state during the rotation of the thrown grenade under the acti-on of the centrifugal force of a freely movable body or weight. IVhen the grenade reaches its aim, no matter whether the same be solid or liquid, and comes to rest, the action of the centrifugal force of the weight upon the spring ceases and the compressed spring suddenly released rebounds and explodes thev grenade by the means hereinafter described.

In the drawings affixed to this specification and forming part thereof a. grenade embodying my invention is illustrated bv way of example in two modifications which l0 mainly differ in outer appearance.

In t-he drawings- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a handgrenade with egg-shaped shell,

Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof, i5 Fig. 3 a longitudinal sect-ion of the internal portion of the grenade unlocked during the flight.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section thereof, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a hand- LO grenade in the form of a comparatively long cylinder and Fig. 6 a cross-section thereof. Referring to Figs. 1 4, the hand-grenade has an egg-shaped shell 2 Charged with. L5 explosives, which consists lof sheet-metal halves inserted in one another or which may be cast in one piece. Into this shell 2 is inserted from the top and fixed bv eX- pansion or otherwise the fuse 4, having the furnished at the bottom with a perforated internal nut 5, against which the explosion cap 7 is drawn by means of another nut 51. In the interior of the fuse 4 the weight 8 cone 24 between them, (Fig. 4).

shape of a hollow cylinder. This fuse 4 is and the priming shell 9 are movably disposed. The weight 8 is furnished with a fixed needle 19, the upper end of which can tends into a central recess of the weight 8 and is there loosely guided within the bore of a cone 24 fixed in the top 41 of the fuse.

Between a collar on the lower end of the weight 8 and the top 4l of the fuse 4 a helical spring 21 is inserted under moderate tension. The upper annular surface of the weight 8 is counter-sunk and provided with an undercut groove 28 into which a heart-shaped spring 22 is fitted, the` free ends of which are bent towards the inside and grip the The cone is provided near its upper end with a groove adapted to be engaged by the ends of the spring 22.

Between the priming shell 9 and the weight 8 a conical pin 18 is intercalated.`

The point of this pin is rounded and its base is cylindrical. vWith this cylindrical portion the pin 18 is inserted in a bore or recess 17 of the shell 9. lliith its rounded. point the pin 18 abuts against the front of the weight 8 and in this position prevente the needle 19 from reaching the percussion cap 10.

The explosion lof the grenade is brought about in the following manner: the grenade is thrown in suoli manner that during its` flight it rotates around its transverse axis During the rotation of thethrown grenade the priming shell 9 owing to the` centrifugal force is pressed against the uut' 5. while the weight 8 moves outwards against the resistance of the spring 21, until the ends of the heart-s raped spring` 22 snap int-o the groove or neck 25 of the locking cone 24. The pin 18 which under the action of the centrifugal force moves in the sainel direction as the weight 8 leaves the bore 17 of the priming shell and loosing its guide tilts over and lies flat against the weight, so that when the rotation of the grenade ceases (by impact with the obiect aimed at) the compressed spring 21 throws the weight 8 together with the needle 19 against the priming shell 9, the needle 19 striking the percussion cap 10, the flame of which passes through the bore of the nut 5 into the eX- plosion cap and explodes this and thereby the charge of the grenade.

In order to set the grenade rotating about l its transverse axis when lired :trom an extension of the barrel oi; a `gnn or the tribe oli a cannonj the lower portion of the shell of the grenade is provided with an expanded or cast-on nose 38, for the guidance ot e'liicl'i the gun barrel extension or 'the like is provided in its interior With a groove 9:0 which at the month ends into an inclined plane 4l. The grenade tired trein the gun Will be ven a turn at the moment when it has issued for the larger part from the eX- tension i2 of the barrel and its nose 38 rnns up the inclined plane el at the end of the lgroove 4G, which causes a rotation ol' the grenade 'around its transverse anis dni-ing' its further flight.

ln order to make the grenade also suitable for being thrown by hand Without the aid of a handle, a projection 39 ivith a roughened surface is provided on the rear sphere ol the shell 2 on which the index-linger lindos a hold, whereby the desired rotation oit the grenade about its transverse axis v -v can be initiated. i

ln order to render the grenade sate for transport, it is fitted with a key 43 Which is screived into a tapped hole of he cone 24- and presses upon the rear-end of the needle 19 and thereby also on the weight S which transmits the pressure to the pin. 18 and securely holds it in its operative position and prevents it from accidently tilting.

The lrey is locked against unser-swing by a depending spring' which engages With its t'ree end the llnted edge ot the top all of the casing or cartridge 4.

The handfgrenade illustrated in Figs. and 6 is distinguished from the before-described one!` mainly by its external appear-- ance, inasmuch as its casing is cylindrical and comparatively long;D in order to provide a `rood grip for the hand and to facilitate the imparting of the necessary transverse rotation when throwing it.

luto the shell 2 of the grenade charged with explosives,4 extends the casing Il, in which the priming shell 9 is contained. 'ihe shell 2 is extended upwards by a somereduced shell 21 in which the Weight 8 ivi a its needle 19 and the spring' 2l are disposed. Between the Weight 8 and the primshell 9 the conical pin 1S is arranged. fEhe free end o'l` the shell is expanded to afford a comfortable handle rer throwing the nade. illithin this e'ipanded open part is provided the safetydrey 43 for ldclring the grenade during transport.

ln a device ol' the kind described in combimitico an igniting device, a stril-:er

body7 connnon guide sleeve sinronnding said cevice and bodyj resilient ineans tending to force said nieinbers against one an other, spacing; pin loosely inserted in an 'indenture oli one and restingv against the Ilace of the other inernliier, an egg-shaped shell snrroil.iodine` all said parts, a lateral projection on said shell and a barrel adapt to snrroninl said shell and provided with a longituA dal groove ending' short ot the enter end of said barrel and adapted to einbrce said projection.

3. ln a device oli the hind described in combination. a guide sleeve, a striking pin carrier in said sleeve, a locking cone eri:- tending` into an axial cavity of said carrier resilient means tcmline,v to torce said carrier away trorn said cone and a snbstantially licart-shapetL springl fixed to the r end ot said carrier and adapted to resilient ly embrace an annular s noove provided in the circumference oi" said cone.

4l. .ln a device oili the kind descrilied. in combination, a. guide sleeve, a strikingl pin carrier in said, sleeve, a locking' cone cwitending` into an axial cavity oit saidy carrier resilient ineens tending` to force said carrier away vlroin said cone an ignition' device at the other end oii aid sleever` a si'iacinggu pin loosely inserted between said device and said carrier, a striker pin loosely inserted in said carrier and extending' into an arial boring.;v of said cone and a i screwed into said bor" so to act abut-nient lier said pin, i

ln testimony whereof l adir; my signature. 

